Post #247397 by Swanky on Mon, Aug 7, 2006 1:16 PM

I am also rather bothered by the fact that the Party City tiki has become the new definition. I am also amused by the fact that many of the popular images of tikis are actually images of tiki mugs. The mug is what survives the era somehow.

I also am glad to hear it said that tiki is not "just a fun time." Most of us here spend way more time searching for, reading about and creating tiki, than enjoying a Mai Tai. I am really sick of "relax and have a Mai Tai." If that's all it is, why bother going to the Mai Kai or building my tiki bar? Hell, I could be having a Mai Tai out of a Party City mug instead!

No. This is a refined style and taste. We should be glad of that. And we should be able to say "thanks for the thought, but this is an African mask. Not Polynesian. Here, let me show you some examples in the BoT." Or, "that's a great start on a bar, but, it's more Jimmy Buffet Carribean and Florida than anything tiki. Here are some tiki bars in BoT to look at..." Or, "that's a nice piece of art, but it's really more of just a face on a piece of wood. It's not much like a tiki mask or any poly pop style. Here are some tiki masks you might get some ideas from."

I have seen plastic stuff from Spencers used to great effect right next to a BK carving or a Bosko or what ever. But some stuff is too far gone from what we call tiki.

I am glad to see what Target has put out under the name tiki. Actual tikis that re not horrible and not rip offs of any of our friends, plus furniture that many of us own and use in our tiki environs.

It's also not neccisary to make everyone comfortable here. Just the ones who are actually into what we are into.

And on topic, check out this great luau! You can tell it's a luau by the cheap scratchy leis! Only $10 a ticket!